NSA Wales & Border Early Ram Sale sets encouraging standard for season ahead

A strong sale for good quality tups, particularly shearlings, was the hallmark of the NSA Wales & Border Early Sale, held at Brecon livestock market yesterday (Monday 3rd August). The sale is the first major sale of the season, traditionally setting the standard for the sales ahead. 

A top price of 3,000 guineas for a Galtres Charollais shearling was achieved by Deborah Whitcher of Yorkshire. She and her parents, Charles and Valerie, have been stalwarts of the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales for more than 20 years.

Deborah says: “He was homebred and the first ram through the ring for us. He’s by Artnaguillion Armani, out of a homebred sire, which in turn was by Foulrice Osprey, which had previously won at the Great Yorkshire show.

“His grand dam was by Inglis Cymro, the sire that set our flock off going back, more than 20 years. There is a lot of conformation in the breeding.”

And she admitted there was a healthy family competition on the day with her parents, whose Foulrice Flock is now run by Charles and son Stephen also selling. Their tups attracted some of the sale’s highest prices and a shearling topped their trade at 2,200 guineas, with an average of 1,238 guineas.

The sale grossed £122,955.00 with 72% clearance rate. It compares favourably with last year at Brecon, when 70% sold to gross £118,282.50.

Chairman Geoff Probert, who bought the top priced ram was pleased with the day’s trading. He says: “There was an improved standard of shearling rams, which sold to a very good trade. We’re hoping this trade will be maintained for the whole season.”

Commenting on the top priced Charollais shearling he purchased, he said it had caught his eye as soon as he walked in. It was a very well-balanced sheep, that hopefully going forward would improve the shearling rams.

Sale secretary, Helen Fairclough Watling, was pleased with her first sale at the helm. It had run very smoothly, with a lot of good quality stock forward. This had been reflected in the prices people had been prepared to pay.

The highest priced Texel was a shearling sold for 1,400 guineas. The highest priced Beltex cross Charollais was sold by Adrian Davies of Manordeilo. A Texel cross went for 1,500 guineas. The highest price Berrichon sold for 840 guineas, the highest price Suffolk for 1,050 guineas. The highest price of the Charollais cross and crossbreds sold for 1,575 guineas.